Monday, January 2, 2017

Kicking (and tumbling) off the new year

For Christmas we often suggest that my parents get the kids experiences, to be experienced later in the year. Sometimes it has been a membership to a museum, sometimes a day-pass for the family, sometimes an individual class specific to that child. This year Caroline has been asking to begin gymnastics class again. Last Christmas her gift was dance class and some new ballet slippers, and she enjoyed that for 2 months, but at the end of it all she kept asking when she would do gymnastics again! So I hopped on the ball as soon as we moved and did absolutely nothing about it.

Eventually, Christmas 2016 rolled around. My mom was asking for gift ideas at the same time Caroline was asking for gymnastics classes, and an idea was born! I found a studio incredibly close to us that offers many levels and age groups at many convenient days and times, and I knew Ethan would enjoy a run-around-have-fun gymnastics class, too.... but HOLD ON TO YOUR HATS, they ALSO have a NINJA class! I do believe this is a way to get older boys to do gymnastics without feeling awkward that they're signed up for gymnastics, as the skills are basically the same and the equipment is, of course, exactly the same.

Tonight was the first class! We were there early but I still managed to miss Caroline's class getting called in because I was that annoying parent who was too distracted taking pictures of the experience to actually experience the experience. But I have grandparents to appease and a blog to update, gosh dang it!

Caroline's class has 3 little girls and a lovely teacher. Caroline has really put her heart into her latest activities - piano and skiing - so I expect gymnastics will have the same gratifying feel.

Eli was the one and only kid in his class, but it's the first week of the new year so I wouldn't be surprised if that was a fluke. Still, his one-on-one experience was so much fun! He rolled and planked and crawled and jumped and tumbled to his sweaty, healthful delight. We have tried numerous times to get the kids excited about push-ups and sit-ups, but it's a bit like trying to get them excited about vegetables. Still, when a TEACHER puts out the task of push ups and sit-ups, they are an exciting new challenge! Perhaps that will help shed a new light on them at home :)

Ethan was one of two preschoolers in his class. The other girl had obviously been taking lessons for a session or two, and his enthusiastic teacher and his well-trained classmate had him running all the right directions. I was really impressed with all the skills he already showed in only one day!

Patrick is already very active in Scouts, one night a week, and began playing basketball in a local league where they practice once a week and have a game each weekend. With 3 evenings already busy for him and NONE busy for the other kids, I had my parents gift him a book so he can read while the little ones tumble. Thus he is beginning the Eragon series, which I read and loved, and it was written by a brilliant 14-year-old (he finished the series in his 20's) so I hope it hits a chord with Patch.

Happily, all 3 classes are at exactly the same time, so I think we will be having wonderfully full Monday evenings! We are definitely looking forward to enjoying our Christmas experiences.